World News Quick Take

Agencies

Mon, Dec 03, 2012 - Page 7

BAHRAIN

US star gets mixed reception

US television celebrity Kim Kardashian brought out screaming fans, angry Muslim hardliners and police throwing stun grenades on Saturday when she visited the country to launch a milkshake franchise, witnesses said. About 100 Sunni Salafists demonstrated with banners outside The Walk Bahrain, an upmarket mall in Manama, after some lawmakers tried to block the visit. Thousands of fans, who had paid up to 500 Bahraini dinars (US$1,360) for a ticket to the event, broke into hysterical screams as the 32-year-old celebrity launched the Millions of Milkshakes franchise. Kardashian stirred controversy even before she arrived in the country. Hardline Sunni Muslim lawmakers presented a motion to parliament calling her “an actress with an extremely bad reputation,” the English-language Gulf Daily News reported. The assembly did not vote on the motion, the newspaper said. Many Kardashian fans tweeted their displeasure, saying the “MPs should focus their time on solving key political, economic and social issues,” the newspaper said.

BELIZE

McAfee reportedly arrested

Anti-virus software pioneer John McAfee, wanted by authorities for his neighbor’s murder, has been captured after weeks on the run, his blog said on Saturday. “We have received an unconfirmed report that John McAfee has been captured at the border of Belize and Mexico,” his official blog whoismcafee.com said. The Web site, which McAfee launched to counter what he says are erroneous claims by the media or authorities about him, said it would provide more information as it became available. Police say they simply want to question the 67-year-old about the murder of fellow American Gregory Faull, a Florida native who was found dead at his home last month in a pool of blood on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye. McAfee has said he fears for his life and was fleeing authorities with whom he has been at odds ever since refusing to make a donation to a local politician’s campaign. A police spokesman in Carmelita, in the San Pedro area, said he had no information on a possible arrest.

UNITED STATES

Escaped ram eludes police

A shaggy brown ram successfully dodged police, his handlers and a few cars while trotting through downtown Des Moines, Iowa, after escaping from his trailer on Friday. However, the ram’s freedom only lasted about an hour before he was cornered and tackled by approximately a half dozen of his pursuers. The Navajo-Churro ram jumped from a trailer near the Iowa State Capitol building on Friday morning. He led police, Animal Rescue League officials and some capitol workers on a chase. Video from KCCI-TV shows the animal strolling along downtown sidewalks and streets, resembling a woolly ball of hair bouncing on tiny legs.

UNITED STATES

Deer beat horses to track

Spectators at a western Pennsylvania racetrack got a surprise last week when three deer got onto the course first and beat the horses to racing. According to KDKA-TV, a race was about to begin on Wednesday night at the Meadows Racetrack in Washington County when the deer jumped onto the track. Race announcer Roger Huston did not miss a beat. He began calling the race as it unfolded, saying things like: “As they race down the track, Bambi has the lead. Here comes Rudolph from the outside.” The deer ran fast, but kept changing directions. Several minutes into the show, the deer left the track to the horses. Huston said Bambi won the race.